


Johanna and Milady

by pixelpiano



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: And not just Haru's Hair, Awkward Crush, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, F/F, Fade to Black, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, Implied Sexual Content, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Divergence, Nothing explicit, POV Alternating, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, SO MUCH FLUFF, Spoilers, Tagged for violence and some panic attack descriptions, Very Bisexual Makoto Niijima, just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 12:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20339959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixelpiano/pseuds/pixelpiano
Summary: “Um…” Haru began, tugging at the collar of her jacket. “If it isn’t too much trouble…could I speak to you more about this some other time?”“Of course,” Makoto said, smiling warmly. It would be nice to be able to help her teammate out in any way she could. Plus, she couldn’t help but feel that the two of them were perhaps more similar than appearances might let on.(Haru's social link re-written with Makoto instead of the protagonist. Things get very gay.)





	1. A Chance Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> With P5R on its way to release, I thought I would dig up this Haru/Mako fic I started a while back, but never finished. Basically, I just wanted them to be super gay (Makoto's literally a bi-ker chick, it's in the word!), as well as have Sugimura get punched in the face for being a dick, like he really should've been at some point. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an afternoon of pouring over the student body, the Phantom thieves may have finally identified Morgana's new ally. And they may have found just the chance they need to confront her...

**2016 September 16 (Fri)**

“Haru Okumura, correct? The only daughter of Kunikazu Okumura, CEO of Okumura Foods.”

Makoto couldn’t help but smirk a little as she said it.

Haru just smiled. “Ahh…,” she said, nodding, “so _that’s_ where we met. Wow, you figured it out in just a day?”

She hadn’t exactly expected that reaction…

“You looked really good in that biker gang outfit!” Haru continued, smiling widely.

Makoto felt her ears burn. She _certainly_ hadn’t expected to hear that either. “Let’s…not talk about that...” she insisted.

She looked around to make sure nobody was in earshot before she spoke again in more hushed tones. “Care to explain why you were in your father’s palace?”

Haru’s gaze fell. “My father’s highly regarded as a manager, but I had various…doubts…about him. That’s why I want to make amends, even thought it may only be for my own satisfaction.” She wrung her hands in front of her, “but I wonder if this is just running from the problem…”

“Where did you meet Morgana?”

“Oh, it was pure coincidence,” Haru answered, “I found a lonely-looking cat in front of our office building.”

“And that was Morgana?”

“Mhm. And when I followed him, I ended up in the Metaverse…”

Makoto nodded. Their friend had lucked himself into the upper hand it had seemed.

“There’s no way for me to change my father’s company…” Haru continued, “But if I became a phantom thief, I thought I’d at least be able to change him…”

She clearly had a rebellious side; they had all seen her costume with their own eyes. Not to mention, it wasn’t like Morgana to lie about something like Haru having awoken to a Persona.

She would certainly be a useful ally…

“Isn’t there any way we can…work together?” Makoto asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Haru’s face went sour almost immediately, and she shook her head, springy curls bouncing to and fro. “I can’t cooperate with people who don’t know what they want to do,” she said, matter-of-factly, “What you’re doing is unnecessarily causing a stir among the public. And besides,” she continued, flashing an accusatory glare, “the Phantom Thieves, who should be helping the weak, are not even helping their own teammate.”

Makoto winced. She didn’t have to put it like _that…_

Haru nodded, as if acknowledging Makoto’s silence as an agreement. “I just want my father to atone for his crimes. And help Mona-chan, who gave me a chance to do just that.”

“But aren’t our objectives the same?” Makoto was desperate now, “It’d be better if we work—”

“No thank you,” Haru cut her off. “I will do this with Mona-chan and him alone.”

And with that, Haru bent down and went about her gardening work, humming softly to herself as if the conversation had never taken place. Ren looked at Makoto and shrugged, and the two of them walked out of the school gate, defeated.

“She hit quite a sore spot...” Makoto started, as they made their way down the street towards the subway station. “We ‘don’t know what we want to do,’ huh?”

“Well, she isn’t exactly wrong…” Ren remarked, looking straight ahead, not a single expression on his face revealing what might be going through that mind of his.

She had never been particularly interested in the broody type. It was lucky for his sake that he was awfully cute…

Makoto bit her lip. “Regardless, it seems getting her cooperation won’t be possible. Let’s consult with the others on our next move.”

Ren nodded. “We shouldn’t ignore Morgana either.”

...cute _and_ sweet, even if it was awfully hard to tell what he was thinking sometimes…


	2. The Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru has just fled Mementos with Morgana, after his old friends tried to apologize. Even if things did go sour, was this the right thing to do...?

**2016 September 17 (Sat)**

“Hmph, serves them right.” Morgana strutted a little ways away, and sat, swishing his tail back and forth.

“Are you sure that was what you wanted…?” Haru fiddled with the edge of her sweater. These weren’t Mona’s true feelings, she just knew it.

“…O-Of course it was!” Morgana stammered. He looked back for a brief moment, before dashing away down the alley.

Haru sighed. The others _had_ waited for a while to apologize to him, even if it hadn’t quite gone as hoped…

“You made me look _everywhere_ for you…”

Haru jumped, then winced at the familiar voice. She didn’t dare turn around to look at him.

“What were you doing somewhere without any reception? Out late with guys—That’s it, isn’t it?”

She eventually turned towards him, but squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head. “I would never do such a thing…!”

“C’mon, let me have some fun too, will ya?”

His voice was calm, like sweet venom.

He then took one arm by her wrist, and squeezed it sharply. “Can’t you do that for me?” he barked at her.

Haru winced. “Ow…!” she cried softly. Not that there was anyone to listen to her, as usual…

Sugimura yanked her arm, sharply. She cried out again, and tried every way she could to avoid his piercing gaze.

Then, without warning, he dropped her arm and recoiled in pain. A muffled voice at his feet called out “Let go of her!”, and Haru looked down to see Morgana with his teeth sunk into her fiance’s calf.

“Goddamn cat!” Sugimura spat. He drew his leg back and kicked it out sharply. Morgana sailed off his leg and hit the brick walls of the alley with a hollow thud.

He mewled weakly, and crumpled to the ground.

Haru gasped. “Mona-chan!” Her feet were frozen in place.

“Dammit…” Morgana coughed, “I really am…useless…”

Sugimura brushed off his leg and took a step towards the injured cat. “Will you shut up!?” he yelled, glaring at Morgana. His gaze then turned up towards Haru, who began shaking even harder than she had before.

“You’re coming home with me,” he growled, grabbing her arm again.

Haru began to cry. He was never _this_ violent with her...

…but then again, someone else was always around watching the two of them, and Sugimura was a man who cared about his image.

With nobody around to see them this time though…

“Please…” she whimpered, “Let go…”

“Okumura-san!?”

She looked up in surprise, and saw Makoto, with the other Phantom Thieves close behind her.

“The hell are you doing to our friend!?” Ryuji yelled. Did he mean Morgana, or…?

“Sorry about the disturbance.” Sugimura let go of Haru’s arm and straightened out his suit jacket. “It’s simply a…lover’s quarrel with my fiancee here.”

“Fian—What?” Ann looked confused. “But she’s clearly fighting you!”

“Yes, well…” he continued, turning back to give Haru a coy smile, “I’m sure she’ll make it up to me later…”

Haru continued to tremble violently. She knew exactly what he meant.

“Ugh,” Makoto growled, marching towards Sugimura, who turned to face her. “Men like you make me _sick!”_

She punctuated the last word with a right-handed haymaker right to Sugimura’s face. He recoiled, holding his face and doubling over in pain.

The rest of the crowd gasped. Haru’s eyes went wide, realizing what had just happened. Makoto seemed satisfied as she looked at Haru, giving a nod that was probably supposed to be reassuring.

Holding a hand over his eye and wobbling slightly, Sugimura slowly straightened himself out. He glared over his shoulder at Haru. “...How _dare_ you make a fool of me,” he spat, causing her to take a step back, finally able to move. “I’ll be telling your father about this too,” he added.

He then turned, glaring at Makoto and the others. “And as for all of you…I won’t forget your faces!”

With that, he pushed past them, muttering to himself, hand still over his now obviously swollen eye.

The evening silence was stifling.

Ann was the first to speak. “Are you OK?” she asked Haru.

Haru stammered. “I-I’m fine,” she squeaked. “But Mona-chan—” she began, turning to look over at Morgana.

“This is nothing…” Morgana winced, standing up somewhat weakly.

Makoto finally dropped her tense stance and turned to Haru. “Was that person truly your fiance?” she asked.

Haru nodded meekly. She could only imagine what she’d have to go home to now. She could feel tears welling at the corners of her eyes too, and became painfully aware of how much her legs felt like limp custard.

“That didn’t seem like an ordinary fight though…” Ann said, “Shouldn’t you talk to your parents about it?”

She probably meant well, but Haru couldn’t help but laugh weakly. “I think it’d be useless,” she said. She put a hand to her cheek and felt where a couple tears had fallen down it. “I’ll just be told to beg for his forgiveness, even if it means groveling on the ground…”

Haru choked on the last of her words and sank to her knees sobbing. She didn’t care to listen to what the others were talking about around her. She became vaguely aware of a pair of hands helping her up, and shoulders to lean against as they half-carried her to an unfamiliar couch in an unfamiliar neighborhood, telling her she should rest a while.

She had never been so happy to fall asleep in a house other than her own.


	3. Festival Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the school festival only days away, everyone's tensions are high. In the midst of this, Makoto decides to go check on Haru to make sure she's okay...

**2016 October 20 (Thu)**

Makoto opened the door to the rooftop, stepping out into the sunshine. Haru was bent over her plants in her dirt-covered gym uniform as usual. 

“How troubling…” she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she dug her fingers carefully through the soil in front of her. 

“Um…hi there, Haru,”

Haru jumped. “Oh, Mako-chan…!” She turned and stood up, dusting the dirt off her knees. “Have you come up here to assist me?”

Makoto nodded. “I figured things would go quicker with some help.”

Haru smiled. “Why thank you!” Her smile then drooped as she wrung the hem of her jacket. “Did you, um…hear me talking to myself.”

Makoto nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t mean to be rude, I promise!”

Haru just giggled and Makoto felt her cheeks grow warm. “I’m not worried about the garden, in case you were wondering,” Haru continued. “It’s just, well…so much has happened to me lately.”

It had been quite an eventful month, that was for sure. She was still skeptical if Haru’s cheery attitude had been genuine or not. Makoto herself had cried for weeks after her father had died. Not to mention, she still felt bad for the stunt she had pulled with Haru’s fiance the other night…

“You can tell me, you know…” Makoto finally said. “…As long as I’m not intruding, of course.”

Haru looked thoughtful for a minute and nodded. “Perhaps I could share with you,” she said, sitting down in one of the folding chairs near the planters. “I mean, it would be nice to have someone to share with.” 

Makoto nodded and sat next to her. 

“The source of my worries is my father’s company,” Haru began. “Dealing with the aftermath has been…difficult…”

Makoto just nodded silently. 

“Given how unexpected the accident was,—” Makoto swore Haru winced as she said it, “—my father didn’t have a will. All of his stocks transferred to me. Which means suddenly, I’m the biggest shareholder in a company of over one thousand employees…” She paused, turning to Makoto, “But I don’t know the first thing about business direction, or fund management, or any of that…”

Makoto nodded again. “That sounds tough…” she said, silently berating herself for not saying something more comforting.

Haru nodded back. “It is…I may be the president’s daughter, but I never expected I would end up involved with company matters…”

Her gaze turned skyward. “Because of that, I’ve been meeting with all the various officers and lawyers my father employed. They’ve been giving me advice on all the things I’m not entirely sure about. Assets, stocks…”

Makoto kept nodding. Haru was probably enjoying just having someone to listen to her, but she still felt awkward not having anything more reassuring to say to her. 

“It’s clear some people only want to get on my good side though,” Haru continued. “I don’t know who I can trust…They try to sound comforting by saying things like ‘don’t worry,’ or ‘leave it to me,’ but…Well, it feels like they’re really only being nice so they can get their hands on my bank account. And I…I never realized I could be this distrustful of other people…”

Makoto just sat in silence. Now any words of encouragement would just sound hollow after such a speech…

No wonder Haru had been putting on such a cheery attitude lately.

“Ah,” Haru exclaimed, looking at Makoto and putting on a cheery smile again, “I’m sorry for ranting on about this matter.”

“Oh, no, it’s really no trouble at all,” Makoto insisted. As student council president, was it not her job to help students feel heard and supported in times of struggle? And was Haru Okumura not a student at Shujin, if not also her, literal, partner in crime?

Haru nodded, which Makoto took as an affirmation to her thoughts. “I do feel as though doing so has helped me calm down a bit though. The only people I’ve consulted up to this point have been employees…I think what I really needed was someone closer to my own age to talk to…closer to my own viewpoint even,” she added. 

“I think I understand,” Makoto answered. She was met with silence. 

“Um…” Haru began, tugging at the collar of her jacket. “If it isn’t too much trouble…could I speak to you more about this some other time?”

“Of course,” Makoto said, smiling warmly. It would be nice to be able to help her teammate out in any way she could. Plus, she couldn’t help but feel that the two of them were perhaps more similar than appearances might let on. 

Haru smiled back. This one was softer; it was certainly more genuine than the ones before, and Makoto could see it in her eyes. 

“Well then,” Haru said, checking the time on her phone, “shall we head over to the hideout?”

Makoto nodded. “I’ll wait for you by the gate.”


	4. Someone to Talk To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their final target in sight, the Phantom Thieves are under more pressure than ever to succeed. Haru decides to mitigate some of the stress by tending to her secret garden with her new friend and comrade...

**2016 November 1 (Tue)**

“Wow, Mako-chan! You’re getting good at this!”

Makoto looked up at Haru and smiled, wiping a smudge of dirt off her cheek with her sleeve. Seeing the prestigious student council president’s face covered in sweat and dirt had a certain charm to it, and Haru couldn’t help but giggle before turning back to her work.

“The soil here would be so healthy if you came by more often,” Haru continued as she finished up her row and stood up, stretching her stiff joints. “Honestly, I’m just surprised that my gardening can be of use to our work as the Phantom Thieves. Considering it started as just a hobby, it’s amazing to see it transform into something more practical.”

Makoto nodded in agreement. “I’m still just amazed at how energizing these vegetables are. They’re like magic...”

Haru smiled. “You know, I’ve actually begun raising plants of my own at home.”

“Have you now?”

“Mhm,” Haru nodded, “coffee beans!”

Makoto laughed, “Thinking of opening a cafe?”

Haru giggled with her. “Would you come if I was? I mean, doesn’t the idea of a boutique cafe sound lovely?” she added.

“Indeed it does,” Makoto answered, pulling up two chairs for each of them to sit in.

“I actually just recently discovered the joy in the taste and aroma of coffee,” Haru mused, sitting down. “I used to think it was purely bitter…To tell you the truth, I wasn’t even able to drink it before. But now I’m starting to understand the depth of its flavor…”

Haru turned to see Makoto watching her politely, and she felt her cheeks flush a little. “Ah, pardon me,” she said, “I was just thinking back on the past…”

“It’s quite alright.”

Haru took a deep breath and turned to her friend. “Um…can I share with you again?”

“Of course,” Makoto answered, folding her hands in her lap.

Haru turned her gaze to her own lap and spoke softly. “As I mentioned before…I cannot bring myself to trust any of the employees at Okumura Foods. For as long as I can remember, the company has been run by my father. Being liked by him was always very important. Some employees would even come to ingratiate themselves to me.”

She paused, letting out a sigh. “…But since his passing, things have gotten unruly.”

“How so?” Makoto had a concerned look on her face. She was always so thoughtful, Mako-chan.

“Most evidently,” Haru began, “people have started trying to use my influence as majority shareholder to oust other employees. They say they come to me out of respect, but…I know they really just want to use me.”

“That’s horrible…”

Haru nodded. “I’ve heard so many rumours…The worst ones are about the new president, Takakura-san. They say he was thrilled to hear my father passed. And there may be truth to that,” she added. “He’s been with the company for years, but has only started being nice to me recently.”

Makoto nodded. “That certainly does sound suspicious…”

“Yes, I can’t help but wonder about him. He even went as far as to recommend I sell all my shares the other day. He said I could make a fortune… But I realized that if I did so, he would be able to strike the Okumura name completely.”

Haru looked down. “Takakura-san must be scheming to take the company for himself…”

“Hmm,” Makoto started, “I’d say there’s no sense in jumping to conclusions so early.” She paused, chewing her lip as she thought. “Nonetheless, this is a complex issue…”

Haru nodded. It was just like Makoto to say something like that. “None of the advice I’ve gotten so far has been helpful either,” she added. “Everyone only seems to speak out of their own self-interest.”

“But, thank you for this though,” Haru added hurriedly, looking up at Makoto and smiling. “I feel a little better after talking about this with you again.”

“My pleasure,” Makoto said, returning a smile. “I’m glad I could provide some insight.”

“Oh, and don’t worry,” Haru said as she stood up, stretching, “I’ll make sure I keep myself motivated, even through these difficult times.”

Makoto stood up as well. “Just don’t be afraid to reach out if you need it, okay?”

Haru smiled even wider. “I promise.”


	5. Relationship Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto has begun spending more and more time with Haru, much to both each others' enjoyment. Makoto soon realizes, however, that she has an all-too-familiar reason for enjoying Haru's company...

**2016 November 5 (Sat)**

“Ah soil, you’re quite a mysterious thing,” Haru said, her head still down towards her work. “Within your gentle care, even a tiny seed can awaken, spread its roots, and grow up towards the sun. You’re almost like a mother.”

Makoto looked over at her friend and smiled. Haru talked more to her plants than anyone else it seemed, and it was moments like these that she cherished most about their rooftop gardening hangouts. 

“…Perhaps that’s why I find this place so comforting.” Haru added, before returning to her absentminded humming again. Makoto found herself smiling shyly in agreement. 

It wasn’t long before Makoto decided to take another break, pulling up two chairs next to the planters as usual. 

“You know, I only started taking care of these planters because one of my teachers asked me to,” Haru said, looking over her shoulder at them. 

“I was hesitant at first…” she continued, “but I liked it so much that I kept them long past the original request. I started mixing my own fertilizer, adjusting soil ratios… Now it’s just me raising these plants in complete secret.”

“Sounds like you’ve become pretty dedicated to them,” Makoto mused. 

Haru nodded. “But…I’m worried what the school might do if they found out about this.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. It’ll be okay, I promise,” Makoto replied, catching Haru’s eye and winking. 

Haru giggled in response. “You’re so dependable Mako-chan. I guess that makes us partners!”

Makoto’s heart skipped a beat and she felt her cheeks grow warm. Haru must have noticed her hesitation, as she quickly backpedaled and added, “Oh, like, partners in crime! You know, making a deal just now, just like real phantom thieves would!”

Makoto found herself laughing in response as the moment of tension settled. Duh; of course that’s what Haru had meant… 

Thankfully Haru laughed with her. 

“Honestly though, Mako-chan,” she continued, smiling, “I really enjoy the time we spend here together.”

“As do I,” Makoto replied. The two of them had grown quite close in the short time they had known each other. Of course, there was no doubt that being in the Phantom Thieves together necessitated a certain level of teamwork, and thus closeness. But the sentiment brought a smile to her lips nonetheless. 

“It’s so different from how I feel when I’m around him,” Haru added, looking somber for a moment. 

Who, Ryuji? Morgana? …Their leader?

“Oh, sorry,” Haru added, noticing Makoto’s confusion. “I meant my fiance.”

Makoto winced slightly. She still felt bad for acting out of line that night, even if he had deserved it. Haru had assured her time and again that it had been okay, but Makoto couldn’t help but think that that had been another one of Haru’s facades. 

“That reminds me though,” Haru said, “I wanted to ask your advice about him…”

“Of course,” Makoto answered, “what is it?”

Haru sighed and settled back in her chair. “The whole arrangement began when my father first introduced us around the beginning of this year.”

“I was told we were just meeting his friend for dinner,” she continued, her eyes gazing off into the distance, as if looking into her own memories, “…but then he said that ‘friend’ was to be my fiance. It was surprising, but…I suppose I had always known I would someday be married off for political gain. So…I accepted, and that was the start of our relationship.”

Makoto just nodded along in silence. Sis may have had her shortcomings, but thankfully marrying her own blood off for personal gain wasn’t one of them. She made a mental note to tell her how much she appreciated her next time the two had a chance to talk. 

Haru’s cheeks grew pink during the ensuing silence. “Oh, b-but um…no ‘relationship’ stuff happened,” she stammered, “just to be clear!”

“O-oh..of course not!” Makoto blushed fiercely. She had never even considered the thought of such a thing…thought she was quite glad to hear that it hadn’t taken place. 

Not that that was particularly important right now, of course.

“A-Anyway…” Haru continued, still slightly flushed, “I was never exactly fond of him to begin with, but now he has grown far worse. Recently he’s been suggesting we go on an ‘early honeymoon’ together to celebrate our coming marriage…” 

Haru looked up at Makoto, almost pleadingly. “I can’t even stand to look at him though,” she explained, “…let alone spend any actual prolonged time together. So, um…” she fidgeted with the hem of her jacket, “what can I say to decline his offer…?”

“Why not just tell him ‘I don’t want to go with you,’?” Makoto suggested. She immediately cursed herself; what a stupid suggestion. 

“R-Right,” Haru answered, slumping back into her chair, “I suppose it would be best to simply be clear about it.” 

Damnit Makoto…

Haru shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts. “As you know,” she continued, staring blankly ahead, “my father passed away before he could fulfill his promise to rescind the marriage proposal. So…any conversation about putting a halt to the marriage will have to come from me.”

Makoto simply nodded, not daring to offer any more terrible words of ‘encouragement’. 

“To tell the truth…I’ve already mentioned it to my fiance,” she admitted.

…That was certainly surprising. 

“He refuses to listen to a single word I have to say though…” Haru added, looking down at her lap. 

Makoto winced in sympathy. 

“Apparently he’s even been telling the employees at Okumura Foods about the contract he made with my father…” she continued. “How the company would have to pay extreme reparations if it got called off for any reason… I just…I can postpone while I’m still in high school, but after that…?”

Haru looked like she was about to cry again. Makoto reached over and awkwardly placed a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. Haru looked up at her and smiled meekly, rubbing at her eye before continuing. 

“Thinking about it now, it seems my father’s death has turned out to be quite favorable for my fiance. After all he’s now engaged to the majority shareholder of a massive company… I suppose in the end, all he really cares about is his own personal gain.”

As bad as she still felt about it, Makoto wished she had hit Haru’s fiance even harder that night. Maybe there was a version of him in Mementos…

“But,” she continued, “that’s not what a relationship is supposed to be built on. It should be something more… Something like…a love so intense that just seeing the other person makes your chest tighten up.”

She paused, and looked over at Makoto, who had turned her attention back to Haru. “Have, um… Have you ever experienced that, Mako-chan?”

Makoto blushed fiercely for the second time that afternoon. “No!” she cried, perhaps a little too suddenly. “Um, at least…not yet…I don’t think…?”

Haru giggled. Makoto blushed even redder, if that was even somehow possible. There was just something about Haru’s cheeriness that she couldn’t help finding so endearing…

…oh no, was she—?

“I guess we’re both in the same position then,” Haru said. She thankfully seemed all but oblivious to Makoto’s embarrassing revelation:

Makoto Niijima definitely had a crush on Haru Okumura, daughter of the late Kunikazu Okumura and the new CEO of Okumura Foods…

“There’s just no spark like that with my fiance,” Haru continued, still seemingly unaware of Makoto’s internal panic. “Spending time with him is almost like some kind of training…”

…Shujin’s own student council president, head over heels for the school’s rich girl. A rebellious, endearing, cute, honest rich girl…

“…and any hardship I go through now will surely help the Phantom Thieves eventually,” Haru added, perking up. “I’ll get through this!”

…who was currently smiling right at her with those rich, sparkling hazel eyes…

It was all Makoto could do to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest right then and there

“Oh, it’s getting late…” Haru said, looking down at her phone. “I should probably get back to my gardening,” she added, hunching herself over the planters once again. 

Makoto shook her head, finally remembering how to speak. “You’re not going to head home?” 

She hoped she hadn’t sounded too disappointed.

Haru shook her head, already back to work. “I think I’ll be staying here a little while longer to finish these up.” she said.

Makoto nodded, gathering her things as she made for the entrance to the stairwell. As she closed the door behind her, she stole an indulgent glance at Haru through the window, who hummed happily over her plants in the late-afternoon sunlight.

…at least she could safely say she had excellent taste in women. 


	6. Elephant Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru's new interest in coffee has started leading her to various cafes all over the city. There's one particular one she has an interest in, and has decided to invite Makoto along for a surprise...

**2016 November 8 (Tue)**

“What’s this all about?” Makoto asked, sitting down across from Haru. 

Haru smiled mischievously; she hadn’t told Makoto anything other than to meet her at the Wilton Hotel Buffet after school. 

“Do you remember how I mentioned before about my newfound interest in coffee?” she began, “Well, I’ve decided to start studying the topic more seriously by going out to places like this.”

“I see…” Makoto said, still looking skeptical. 

“I’ve been keeping it a secret from my fiance though.” Haru continued, wringing the hem of her dress. “You see, just a single cup of the Dark Ivory coffee here costs roughly six thousand yen.”

Makoto blinked. “That’s awfully pricey…” she muttered.

Haru nodded. “Indeed. It certainly takes some courage to order it, but I expect it to be worth the high price. After all, my father always told me to never skimp when it comes to learning experiences.”

Makoto just smiled in return. She always looked so composed and elegant when she smiled like that. It was one of the many things she admired about her friend.

“Well,” Haru finally said, smiling back, “shall we order? I’ll be paying for your cup as well.”

“Oh, no” Makoto started, shaking her head and reaching for her purse, “I can’t let you do that—“

Haru giggled. “That’s noble of you, Mako-chan. But allow me to handle this. I invited you, after all.”

Makoto nodded and hastily stuffed her wallet back into her purse. Was it just the lighting, or did Makoto look somewhat embarrassed?

She didn’t have time to think about it though, as a waiter came by to take their order just then. The girls then continued to make pleasant chatter until, shortly after ordering, the waiter brought two cups of coffee to their table.

“Ah, here we go…” Haru said, eagerly grabbing for her cup. 

Makoto nodded. Haru watched as she nursed her cup between two hands, bringing it close to her face and inhaling before taking a sip. 

Haru followed suit. The aroma was fragrant, and the flavour quite mild. 

“It’s quite mellow,” Makoto remarked after a moment, looking down at the cup. “Nothing like what the Boss makes at Leblanc…”

Haru nodded. “This is undoubtedly delicious, yet…I would barely consider it coffee.”

Makoto studied the coffee before her. “What exactly makes this coffee so special, anyway?”

Haru bit her lip to stifle her laughter. “Apparently it’s brewed using beans gathered from elephant dung,” she answered, daring to peer up over the rim of her mug at her friend’s reaction.

Makoto’s once-studious expression froze. Haru watched in amusement as she half-swallowed, half-choked down her current mouthful of coffee, her ears flushing red. “…Excuse me while I vomit,” she finally sputtered, placing her coffee back on its saucer. The composure from earlier had completely vanished. 

Haru let a small giggle escape—the sight was just too much for her to handle. “I apologize for not disclosing that to you earlier,” she said, trying to cover her accomplished smile. “I just thought you might find it hard to enjoy if you had known ahead of time.”

“Well I certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed it _more,_” Makoto grimaced. 

“I was surprised to hear it at first myself,” Haru continued, “but that was actually why I wanted to try it to begin with.”

Makoto didn’t respond. Maybe if she talked more about the research she had done?

“Another rare type of coffee, _kopi luwak,_” Haru began, “is gathered from the feces of a small cat called a civet. Interestingly enough, the flavour differs depending on what animal it was originally consumed by. Speaking of cats,” she mused, “I wonder if Mona-chan would be able to—”

“—I’d rather not think about it,” Makoto interrupted. 

“Oh, yeah…” Haru replied, digging her fingernails into the thighs of her tights, “that’s probably for the best. It would be absolutely terrible if he got sick.” she added, gazing down at her mug, looking at her reflection. Had she made Mako-chan too uncomfortable with all this…?

“Haru-chan?”

Haru jumped, almost knocking over the cup in front of her. She turned to see—

“T-Takakura-san!?”

“What a strange place for us to meet.” Takakura remarked, “It’s not often I see people your age at this luxurious buffet.”

Haru just nodded shyly. The company was the last thing she had wanted to think about at a time like this. 

“And who is this?” Takakura asked.

“Oh, she’s a friend from school,” Haru answered, hoping she wasn’t stuttering. “Mako-chan, this is Takakura-san, the new president of Okumura Foods.” 

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Makoto said, bowing deeply. How could she be so composed at a time like this!? Granted, the president’s presence had no reason to make her nervous,   
but—

“By the way,” Takakura said, looking back to Haru, “it looks like we will be able to avoid litigation. We somehow settled on decent terms. You don’t need to worry.”

Okay. That, at least, was some good news. 

“Oh, and about your shares,” he added, “you should consider letting the company hold on to them for the time being. I’m sure you have enough on your plate already, given everything that’s happened to you.”

“Well, I…” Haru tried to say something, but the words caught in her throat. She felt her gaze fall as a faint but familiar numbness enveloped her. As the new president, he stood to gain an awful lot from the Okumura name and her shares. On the other hand, perhaps he was just trying to be kind. But could someone so kind really have worked for the…_robot_ that her father had been…?

“Ah, I’m sorry to bring that up while you two are enjoying yourselves here,” Takakura apologized, bowing deeply. “That aside, how are things going with Sugimura-kun?”

The numbness became even more stifling. It was hard to breathe. 

“You know, these days you need to reserve a wedding hall almost a year in advance if you want a good one,” Takakura continued without breaking stride. “Sometimes it worries me how laid-back you are, Haru-chan.”

“R-Right.” Haru gasped, “We’re in the process—…”

“Well, I should be heading back to the office now,” Takakura interrupted, looking down at his watch. “Oh, but please allow me to pay for your drinks at least.”

Haru’s hands were clamped together in her lap to keep them from visibly shaking. 

Why did she feel so helpless?

She turned to look at Makoto, and was met with a composed, if not slightly stiff expression. 

…of course! She just had to be strong like Makoto was—speak her mind, even if it meant punching Takakura-san in the face!…

…well, metaphorically, that was.

“N-No,” Haru stammered finally, turning towards the president, “that’s quite alright.”

So far so good.

“And, um…about the shares…I can handle them for now,” Haru paused, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater before steeling her brow and looking up at Takakura-san to deliver her final line: “I’m going to protect that which my father left for me,” she said, as confident as she could muster. 

Takakura looked somewhat confused, but bowed politely in response: “…I understand. Please do try to reconsider though,” he added as he straightened himself out. 

Haru said nothing. 

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” Takakura said, bowing a final time to both ladies before wandering off into the dignified bustle of the buffet. 

Haru let out a sigh—how long had she been holding her breath like that??

That all had been a lie, of course. Haru finally folded her hands in her lap and turned back towards Makoto with her head down after Takakura had disappeared into the crowd.

There was no way she could handle the responsibilities she had to deal with. After all, she was just an inexperienced high schooler…granted, she just couldn’t leave the company in Takakura-san’s hands, but…

She realized she had been digging her nails into her palms this time—the pressure was at least somewhat comforting. 

Letting out another sigh, she finally looked up and met Makoto’s concerned expression: “Hey, um…” she hesitated as she asked, “what did you think of him?”

Makoto brought her fist to her chin in contemplation—she usually chewed on her lip when she was deep in thought, but Haru figured that this looked more dignified, at least while they were out in a public area. 

After a long moment of silence, she spoke: “I’m…not really sure.”

A soft chuckle escaped Haru’s lips. “You’re so honest, Mako-chan,” she answered, feeling the edges of her lips tug out into a grim smile. “But…I agree. I really don’t know whether or not I can trust him…” She smoothed the wrinkles and pleats of her skirt out under the table. 

“He was a little sketchy,” Makoto added, still in her thinking pose. 

Haru nodded, looking down again. “Apparently a few employees have been accusing him of being a dishonest, greedy villain… But then…there are others who practically revere his efforts…” She paused, letting out another sigh: “Which side do I trust?”

Makoto just shrugged. She seemed to be staring off into space. 

“Right now, the most prevalent rumour about Takakura-san is still that he was pleased by my father’s passing…” Haru continued. “I mean, he was certainly the person who stood to benefit the most from it…It’s hard to deny that fact.”

“But,” she added, looking up again, “he says he’s trying to rebuild our company image. I just…can’t tell if he really means it.”

“Right,” Makoto nodded along. Her gaze had returned to Haru again. She felt surprisingly vulnerable under her friend’s gaze…

“…You know, sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I didn’t have money…if I was normal.” The words spilled out of Haru’s mouth before she could stop herself, and she bit the inside of her cheek in shame. 

Makoto raised her eyebrows, still looking at Haru. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” Haru was backpedaling now, rubbing the back of her neck, “the company is definitely important, but…it’s often nothing more than a source of stress.” 

It was definitely time for her to shut up. At least, that’s what she would have done if Makoto hadn’t suddenly reached across the table for her hand. Hesitantly, she offered hers in turn, and felt her cheeks flush as Makoto squeezed her hand gently. Her gaze was warm and comforting now, and Haru couldn’t stop more vulnerable thoughts from escaping:

“You know, with you—…” Haru began, her voice almost squeaking, “…you guys, I mean—I feel like I actually belong.”

Makoto smiled at her. “Of course you belong,” she echoed. 

Mako-chan really was such a sweetheart. How lucky she was to have someone like her to depend on.

“That’s why I’m going to work extra hard to make sure my harvests turn out great!” Haru exclaimed, feeling back to her normal self again. It felt good to be smiling along with Mako-chan again. 

Then she remembered: “Oh, and as for that ‘Sugimura-san’…That’s my fiance.”

“Oh…” was all that Makoto could say, averting her eyes again. She withdrew her hand from Haru’s and folded it in her lap. 

Haru just nodded, closing her hand around empty air. “He’s been really showering me with presents lately… One night he even left a bouquet of roses on my pillow.” 

“How romantic…” Makoto scoffed. 

Maybe for some girls… “But…he would have needed one of my servants to help him accomplish that right? What a scary thought…”

The numbness was returning. Makoto visibly shuddered. 

“Even worse,” Haru continued, “Takakura-san has been hurrying us to get married after what happened to my father. He _claims_ it’s because of the profit the marriage will bring to the company…”

But—

“…But you think there’s more to it than that?” Makoto asked, echoing Haru’s thoughts.

It was awfully nice to have Mako-chan’s support, especially in times like this. And if she could seem so cool and collected in the face of adversity, then—

“I’ll look a little deeper into Takakura-san,” Haru stated, trying to make her face look confident. “Perhaps he truly was pleased by my father’s death…Maybe I should start by asking the employees who are trying to desperately win my favour…”

Makoto grinned. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”

Haru smiled in return. This wasn’t so hard, actually…

“…Hm?” she asked, looking down at Makoto’s cup, “You haven’t drank any more of your coffee, Mako-chan. Aren’t you going to finish it?”

“Oh, right, um…” Makoto stammered. 

Haru just giggled. Even the Queen could be fazed sometimes, so it seemed. 


	7. Big Bang...Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto's relationship with Haru continues to grow closer. Corporate collusion, conflicting reports, and a potential business coup--you know, typical fist date stuff...

**2016 November 11 (Fri)**

The chipper, repetitive march playing over the speakers in Big Bang Burger was already starting to give Makoto a headache. It’s not that she had anything against fast food places like this, but it was certainly a downgrade from their last date…

…a date, huh? Did investigating a possible case of corporate collusion against her crush count as a date? It sure didn’t seem like something normal people did on a date. Then again, living a double life as a Phantom Thief hardly constituted as ‘normal’…

“So, I looked into Takakura-san, but I didn’t manage to find very much beyond those initial rumours…” Haru began, drawing Makoto’s attention out of her own head. “Several people I asked said he often complained about my father, but just as many seemed to say the exact opposite.”

Well, that was to be expected, although disappointing…

“One side has to be deceiving me, correct?” Haru asked, sounding defeated, “I’m honestly suspicious of everyone at this point…”

“In cases like these, there’s always somebody telling the truth,” Makoto responded. She almost winced as she realized she sounded just like her sis would without even trying. 

Haru looked pensive. “I see… If there are two contradictory stories, one of them has to be right.” She paused, then shrugged, “I suppose I’ll just need to learn the truth of the matter myself…”

Makoto nodded. Of course, that would be the hard part of the matter. 

“…To be honest,” Haru started again, looking down at her coffee, “Takakura-san has been pushing the marriage particularly hard lately. He says it will help provide vital backup for myself and Okumura Foods, both in public and…in private.”

Makoto tried as hard as she possibly could to purge any thought of Haru’s fiance offering her “backup” in private from her mind. 

“He’s even started asking Sugimura-san into important company meetings…” Haru continued, “There’s also the contract Sugimura-san made with my father…”

There was a long pause. Makoto became painfully aware that her jaw was clenched tight, and her breathing was slowly becoming more forceful. She took a deep breath and tried to relax her composure. 

Haru let out a deep sigh. “Is marrying him…my only option?”

Surely she wasn’t considering this…was she!?

“Though, now that I think about it…that may be my best chance to help the employees my father left behind—” 

“There has to be another way!” Makoto cried, startling herself. She quickly glanced around to make sure she hadn’t attracted any attention to herself and Haru, and wished she could bury her face in her arms to hide the blood rushing to her cheeks. 

“You’re right,” Haru finally stated, looking somewhat more rejuvenated, “Perhaps I shouldn’t give up so easily…”

Makoto nodded. Was Haru always this ready to just resign? Or was there more to it…?

“Either way, graduation is quickly approaching…” Haru pondered, “I’ll need to decide my course of action soon enough…” 

That was true. And as if Makoto didn’t have enough on her plate with graduation, exams, and student council, she couldn’t imagine what Haru was going through with this on top of everything…

“You know,” Haru began, “…before you came along, I hadn’t even considered not going through with this marriage.” She giggled a little as she continued, as if laughing at herself. “I believed I would simply marry the man my father had chosen, and let the rest of my life pass me by.”

“Wow…” was all Makoto could say. It was incredible how much one person’s influence could have over someone, even someone as strong and sweet as Haru…

“I wonder what would have happened if my father didn’t have a Palace…” Haru mused, “Would I have just resigned myself to the fate he had made for me…?”

Makoto reached out and took one of Haru’s hands in her own, a sign of comfort that she had begun offering Haru as of late, even if Makoto had her own, somewhat selfish reasons for doing so. “I don’t think so,” she said. 

Haru smiled. “Mako-chan…” She squeezed Makoto’s hand.

Makoto was sure she was blushing now, Haru’s nickname for her never ceased to do that to her nowadays. But right now, she didn’t even care about it as the two shared a moment of tender silence in the crowded burger joint. 

“Thank you,” Haru finally said, her cheeks flushing pink as well. “You always know how to make me feel better.”

Makoto was definitely blushing now. And smiling like an idiot. And she barely even cared. 

“Honestly though, things would have been far worse for me if I hadn’t joined the Phantom Thieves.” Haru agreed, still smiling. “Plus, I would never have had anyone to talk to like this…”

Oh gods, her heart was buzzing even more now. And—had Haru interlaced their fingers while she was distracted with love-struck giddiness?!

Nothing like a cute girl to make you let your guard down…

“So if there’s anything I can do to return the favour,” Haru continued, “Please tell me! I want to help you as much as I can!”

Makoto let out a bright chuckle. “You’re already doing plenty,” she assured her. 

Haru giggled in return. After a moment, she took a deep breath, letting it out with a wistful sigh. 

“I hope someday I can just look out at the sea with a nice cup of coffee and forget about all of this…”

“Mmm, that does sound like it’d be nice.”

“…I hope you’ll be there with me, Makoto.”

Makoto’s face grew hot. Had Haru just…?

“We can forego the elephants though, don’t worry,” she teased, letting out another chuckle.

Makoto scoffed indignantly, causing the both of them to break out into laughter. 

…a date, huh? Maybe it wasn’t as ridiculous an idea as she had thought…


	8. Wedding Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru continues to learn all she can about coffee, amidst the stress of her triple-life as student, phantom thief, and CEO. At least coffee is something she feels she can do herself, without burdening others...

**2016 November 25 (Fri)**

“I see… So there are eight different ways to roast coffee beans,” Haru read aloud. “Apparently the light roast is the most acidic. And it says here that the type of roast you want should differ depending on how you want to drink your coffee.”

“Wow,” Makoto answered, reading over Haru’s shoulder. “That’s fascinating…”

Haru nodded. “Isn’t it? I think I’d like to try hand-roasting each type someday.” She continued thumbing through the pages of the book, though her mind was elsewhere now.

“You know,” she continued, “Okumura Foods didn’t start out as a burger chain…”

“Do tell.”

“Originally it was nothing more than a small cafe run by my grandfather. That particular shop closed before I was old enough to appreciate the finer intricacies of coffee…” she sighed, “But that’s where the real origin of our family business lies.

“I had no idea…” Makoto replied.

It was oddly charming to see her with such an expression of awe.

“I didn’t either,” Haru noted, “My father only first mentioned it to me a year or two ago.”

Makoto just nodded.

Come to think of it, had she even looked at a book the whole time they had been here?

“At any rate,” Haru continued sharing, “after my grandfather passed, the company shut the cafe down due to its steady loss of revenue. He had never cared about turning a profit though,” she insisted, “His only goal was to make people happy.”

“And it sounds like he succeeded.”

Haru nodded. “He build a strong community around the cafe… He’d even give out free meals to those who couldn’t afford it. The day it closed, people lined up for blocks to give flowers…” she reminisced. “They really loved that place…”

“It sounds like he was a wonderful man,” Makoto agreed.

“I wonder how many people would line up for Big Bang Burger if it suddenly went out of business…” Haru wondered. “I know we need to do well to keep our employees paid, but I can’t help but think we’ve lost something important. I mean, Takakura-san seems to only be focused on profits…” she continued, “At this rate, we’ll never lose our black image.”

“That would be bad,” Makoto agreed. “But with your input, I’m sure you can make things right!”

Haru chuckled. “Yeah… I have to figure a way I can turn things around.”

Of course, that was easier said than done…

“I think what I really need…is to get stronger.” she sighed. She was too embarrassed to add the ‘like you’ that she had been thinking. “I mean, I can act tough in front of my employees…but you know how weak I am inside.”

Makoto didn’t answer, she just placed a hand on Haru’s shoulder. It felt as comforting as ever, and strangely made her feel more confident.

“…I might have a plan though,” Haru finally said with a grin. “Before I can really determine who I trust, I first need to know what it means to have others trust in me. So, I’m going to get stronger, Mako-chan,” she announced, “strong enough for you and the others to rely on me!”

“That sure sounds like a plan to me,” Makoto agreed with a smile. Haru could swear her cheeks were flushed too, but it was probably just the winter chill.

“Hm…” Haru continued, chewing on the inside of her cheek, “How am I supposed to gain the trust of my employees? I’m not great at public speaking…” she admitted, “and even just giving my opinion makes me a little nervous—”

“Haru?”

The familiar voice rang in her ears, and the suffocating numbness came on in a flash. She barely felt Makoto grab her hand and squeeze it tight.

With an agonizing effort, Haru turned around to face Sugimura. “S-Sugimura-san…!” she stammered, “What are you doing here?”

“I was just heading home from a business engagement when I saw you from my car window,” he said. He almost sounded friendly.

That scared her more.

“Hm?” he continued, looking over at Makoto, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I could jog your memory if you’d like,” she snarled back, glaring at him.

Sugimura recoiled the slightest bit. “You’re that brat from before…” he spat back.

“U-Um!” Haru gasped, her knees shaking, “this is my friend from school,”

Both Sugimura and Makoto looked at her. She only shook more.

“She’s helping me look for some books today,” she continued, trying to act like Makoto would. “Anyway, we should be getting back to our shopping. Please, excuse us.”

See? She could do it too.

Sugimura glowered at her. “…Hold on, Haru,”

Oh no…

“You think you can spend time with a common bimbo like her and leave your fiance in the dust?” he growled.

“Bimbo!?” Makoto yelled.

Haru gripped Makoto’s hand tightly, who was tensed up like she was about to attack. She didn’t want another incident on her hands, and she was going to handle this one herself this time.

“You are _not_ my fiance…” Haru stated. “I already said, I’m not going to marry you.”

Sugimura rolled his eyes. “Yeah? And what about that contract I made with your father?”

Haru swallowed dryly. “F-Father is…no longer here…” she said, holding back tears. Holding Makoto at bay was one thing, but she didn’t dare let herself cry in front of him this time.

She wouldn’t lose.

“And besides,” she added, daring to glare back at him now, “Marriage is something you go into with your own free will; a contract could never hold the same weight.”

“Are you sure about that?” he answered, flashing a venomous smile, “Think about the reparations clause. If you back out of the deal now, you’ll lose everything you own.”

“…even so, I—”

“Okumura Foods,” he continued, interrupting her, “your estate…And what about your employees? Are you really willing to put their jobs on the line for the sake of your selfishness?”

…what could she possibly say to that?

“Besides, this marriage is exactly what Okumura Foods needs right now,” he continued, “My father would have no trouble managing your shares or sweeping away your company’s tarnished image.”

Haru just gripped the fabric of her coat as tightly as possible. The cold air was burning her throat, she wasn’t sure she could speak if she tried.

“Can it!” Makoto barked, still tensing against Haru’s grasp, “She already told you she has no plan to marry you!”

“Ah, that reminds me,” Sugimura said, an even more devilish look in his eyes, “did Takakura-san tell you about the wedding hall? He got us the Phoenix Wing at the Wilton.”

“Wh-What!?” Haru managed to cry out. How could Takakura-san have done something like this without consulting her!? Was he using Sugimura to get at her? To help him take over the company!?

“We’ll have to look into our guests’ schedules as well,” he continued without faltering, “There’ll be over three hundred of them, you know.”

His nonchalant tone was even more infuriating than his gloating.

“Takakura-san can handle Okumura Foods in the meantime, so why don’t you go stop by the gym or something, Haru?”

“…Excuse me?” Makoto’s face was bright red with anger, and Haru realized that her hand was hurting from how hard Makoto was squeezing it.

“I’m just saying,” Sugimura shrugged, “if she has the time to hang out with a dyke like you, she has the time to get a little thinner.”

“…Why you!”

Makoto lunged for Sugimura, but Haru held fast to her hand. Instead, she awkwardly swung around Haru and ended up glaring at him while Haru desperately clung to her arm to hold her back.

“Tsk,” he tutted, shaking his head. “I’m out of here. Try keeping this bitch on a shorter leash…”

“That fucking_—ugh__!”_ Makoto cursed as he walked off, finally wrestling her hand from Haru’s grasp. “How dare he!?”

Haru just let her head hang as the tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

“He’s got everything…” Haru whimpered. “Fame, intelligence, manners…”

She heard Makoto scoff.

“All he needs now is a wife he can control…” Haru continued, shivering. “And I guess I’m the perfect target…He’s going to get Okumura Foods as well as my entire inheritance…and I’m totally powerless against him…”

Suddenly, Haru felt someone’s arms wrap around her. Instinctively she tried to pull away, but when she saw Makoto’s worried face through blurry eyes, she relinquished herself into Makoto’s embrace, choking back sobs.

“Be strong, Haru,” Makoto whispered, holding her tight.

It felt like forever before Haru was able to breathe properly again. Even then, Makoto’s arms felt warm and safe, and she didn’t want to leave them.

Finally, she took a deep breath and pulled away. Makoto just stood in front of her, holding loosely to Haru’s hands while she listened.

“You’re right…” Haru said, her voice still a little shaky. “I can’t afford to drag myself down with such negativity… Thank you,” she said with a sad smile.

Makoto nodded. Haru wished she would hold her again. She felt much warmer now than she had before…

“A-Anyway, um, I hope I can share with you again some other time,” Haru said finally. “For today though…I’m rather tired. Would it be okay if we parted here?”

“Of course,” Makoto answered, reaching a hand out and squeezing Haru’s shoulder. “And, hey…” she paused, catching Haru’s gaze, “you don’t have to do this alone…okay?”

Haru smiled as best she could and nodded before turning to leave.


	9. More than she can Chew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto won't say it, but she's worried that Haru is spending too much time worrying about others, instead of her own well-being. Then again, it would take a miracle to just fix all the problems Haru deals with every day...

**2016 November 30 (Wed)**

“So, I bought a mini roaster and a coffee mill the other day…” Haru began, as they climbed the 3rd floor stairwell. “I thought it would be fun making coffee myself. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s an immensely satisfying process…”

“I’m sure it is—” Makoto replied as she opened the door to the rooftop, turning to see Haru clutching her head and wincing. “Haru…?”

“…Hm?” she finally answered, looking up. “Sorry about that. I just got a little dizzy for a second there…”

“Haru, are you sure you’re okay? You look like you haven’t slept in days…”

“I’m fine, honestly,” she replied, smiling. 

This was definitely one of her fake smiles though. 

“Let’s see,” Haru continued as she stepped through the doorway, “Next up is…dirt for the …planters…” Her voice trailed off as her knees buckled.

Without thinking, Makoto reached out and caught her in her arms. Haru’s eyes were barely half open.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled weakly, “I think I just need to rest a little…”

Makoto carefully helped carry Haru over to one of the fold-out chairs near the planters so she could sit down. A short while later, she had returned with a cup of water and a damp washcloth for her forehead as well. 

It felt like forever before Haru sat up properly and opened her eyes again. Makoto’s heart had been racing the whole time. 

“Are you feeling better now…?” Makoto asked.

“To be honest…” Haru croaked, looking down at her lap, “I haven’t been getting a lot of sleep lately…”

“…It’s the company, isn’t it?” Makoto asked. It had been nearly a week since the incident with Sugimura at Jinbocho, and Makoto had barely seen or heard from Haru since then. She had been worried sick about her, and had been hoping today would help alleviate that worry. 

Now, she wasn’t so sure it would…

Haru nodded at Makoto’s question. “Takakura-san has really been pushing for us to start a new business venture soon…” she explained. “In particular, he’s adamant about a chain of low-cost, intimate cafes. Some employees don’t think it’s a good idea though, so they want me to step in and put a stop to it…” She sighed, “But I’m just a high schooler… There’s no way I could predict the success or failure of this idea… So in the end, I’m just not sure what to do…”

Makoto squeezed Haru’s hand and lowered herself to looked her in the eye. “What do _you_ want to do?” she asked. 

Haru just blinked. “That’s…a good question…” she replied, narrowing her brows pensively.

Makoto just held her hand and nodded, letting her think. Haru was awfully cute when she was focused like this…

“The idea does sound nice…” Haru finally answered, “The smell of a fresh cup of coffee always brings a smile to my face. And it certainly would be nice to be able to give that experience to as many people as possible…” she added. “But… I don’t think you can truly gain the same joy from the low-cost chain Takakura-san is suggesting.” She looked down and sighed. 

“I think you should tell Takakura-san what you just told me,” Makoto finally said. 

“H-Huh…?” Haru stammered. “You really think he’d listen to a high schooler with no prior work experience…?”

“We won’t know until you try, will we?” Makoto answered. “Besides, if you think there’s another way to do it, I’m confident you’ll figure it out somehow.” 

“Do…do you really think so?” Haru asked. 

She swore Haru’s cheeks had gone pink. 

“Absolutely.”

Haru nodded in acknowledgment, looking pensive again. “I was so convinced that the two ideas were contradictory, but…it just might be possible after all,” she mused. “...Maybe I should talk to him,” she continued, trailing off and muttering to herself. 

Makoto, again, remained silent while she worked things out. 

“You’re right…” Haru said, standing up suddenly, “I’d been so afraid of him this whole time…but all I need to do is show him how I feel…!”

Makoto smiled. The sight of Haru acting so confident all of the sudden had her heart fluttering with joy, and she didn’t want to miss a single moment of it…

“I’ll make him see what I’m really thinking…and what’s truly important to me!” Haru finished, looking over at Makoto. 

Makoto couldn’t stop smiling. “That’s the spirit!” she agreed. 

Haru nodded. “You know, I think I understand now,” she added, “By refusing to trust Takakura-san, I think I was also shutting myself off from any hope of having him trust me…But that’s going to be different now, thanks to you, Mako-chan!”

Did Haru really not notice how madly she was blushing right now??

“And you know what?” Haru continued, much to Makoto’s gratefulness, “I just thought of the perfect way to do it! A magic item that will help me convey my true feelings to Takakura-san…” she added with a mischievous giggle. 

Her heart was going to melt at this rate…

“It’s going to take some time to prepare though,” Haru continued, seemingly oblivious to Makoto’s fluster as usual, “so it’ll have to be my secret for now. But I’ll tell you next time, OK?” she added with a wink. 

It was all Makoto could do not to physically swoon right then and there. 

“Now then, shall we get to work?” Haru asked, holding out her hand. 

Makoto just nodded, and let herself be led away from the rooftop by an excited Haru. 


	10. The Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru is finally ready to reveal her big plan to Makoto. Now all she has to do is put it into motion--simple, right...?

**2016 December 6 (Tue)**

Haru hummed to herself as she worked. She was glad to have Makoto’s company, but she couldn’t help but notice that Makoto had barely spoken a word while the two of them had been working. 

“Hey, Mako-chan,” she finally asked, drawing Makoto’s attention, “Do you remember the magic item I mentioned before?”

Makoto nodded, smiling. 

“The thing that will help me show Takakura-san how I really feel…is right here,” she said, smiling herself. 

Makoto seemed confused. “…The soil?” she finally asked, after a moment of looking around. 

Haru giggled. “Correct!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement. “You see, this soil here is a special mix I made with a few different kinds of fertilizer. It’s very high-quality” she explained, “it’s soft, it’s warm, it has good drainage, and it’s full of nutrients. This…this is the magic I need.”

Makoto still seemed uncertain, if not encouraging. 

“I’m not very good at expressing myself with words…” she explained, “In fact, just thinking about it makes my heart race…But I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into this soil for months now. It knows exactly how I feel,” she asserted, looking back at Makoto. “That’s why I’m going to use it to grow my coffee plants. Then once they’re ready, I’m going to make coffee with the beans!” she explained. “It shouldn’t be much longer now…”

“Ohh, what a clever idea!” Makoto remarked, finally seeming to understand. 

Haru just smiled in acknowledgment and turned back to her planter. “Honestly…just raising those plants has taken considerable effort. I’ve checked on them every day, given them water, put them in the sun…and all of that love and care has found its way into the beans themselves,” she mused. “Combining that with the nurturing warmth of this soil should give me the perfect way to convey how I feel. I just wonder what Takakura-san will think when he tries it…”

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Makoto looking at her with such a warm gaze. “It’ll help him understand you,” she told her. 

Haru smiled wide. “Yes, I fully believe that!” she agreed, giggling. Makoto’s presence always made her feel so comfortable, so confident. Not to mention, Makoto’s reassuring touches always made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, in a way that was hard to describe. 

“By the way,” Haru finally piped up, though she was thinking aloud more than anything, “I’ve thought about it some more, and…I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to Takakura-san’s idea.”

“Oh?” Makoto cocked her head, “do tell?”

“If that’s what management decides to do, I won’t get in their way,” she explained. 

Well, that was half the story anyway.

“At the same time,” she continued, looking down, “I can’t support them if their main goal is to deceive.”

Makoto nodded in agreement

“People don’t think of Okumura Foods particularly highly right now, so…I’m afraid management is trying to use this new chain to sneak under the radar rather than rebuild our image…” Haru mused, “Of course, I understand how hard it is to rid yourself of a negative label. But if they want to fool people with a low-quality product instead of regaining their trust, then I will proudly oppose them!”

Haru realized she was standing now, hands on her hips, like a proud heroine of justice. She looked down at Makoto to see her smiling up at her, eyes sparkling in the late-afternoon sunlight. 

“You really are amazing Haru,” Makoto said. Was she teasing her? 

Haru giggled. “Well, naturally,” she said, playing along with a wink and a flip of her curls, “I _am_ a heroine of justice, after all…”

Makoto let out a chuckle. The way her cheeks flushed pink made Haru smile even wider. 

“You know, Mako-chan…” Haru started, sitting down next to her and resting her head on Makoto’s shoulder with a contented sigh, “it’s so reassuring having you here. 

Makoto’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Haru smiled, grateful for the bit of warmth against the creeping winter chill. 

“It’s because of you that I was able to cultivate this soil…” she mused, “...and because of you that I now have the courage to tell Takakura-san how I feel.” she admitted.

A gentle squeeze followed in acknowledgment.

“Speaking of which…” Haru started, sitting up and catching Makoto’s gaze, “...do you think you could be there when I do it?” she asked, sheepishly. “A-As long as you’re there with me, I won’t be afraid to say what I’m thinking.”

Haru swore a brief look of shock crossed Makoto’s face. But it left as soon as it appeared, and that kind smile of hers had returned. “Of course,” she answered.

Oh, thank goodness. 

“Now then,” Haru shot up again, filled with a bright spark of determination, “I’ll need to take some of this soil home to my coffee plants. Do you think you could carry a bag for me?”

She couldn’t wait to finally put her plan into motion. 


	11. The Big Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto wasn't nervous--she couldn't be nervous. She had to be confident for Haru's sake...and maybe a little for her sake too...

**2016 December 14 (Wed)**

To say that Haru was ‘well off’ was, evidently, an understatement. Even the giddiness of being invited to her crush’s house (gods, she felt like a schoolchild) couldn’t overpower the sheer awe and vague discomfort of being in such a…lavish? Gilded? Fancy didn’t quite do it justice, but…

The point was, it was kind of a lot.

She sat as politely and dignified as she could, feeling significantly under-dressed in her school uniform, while Haru invited her guest in and sat him at the coffee table in front of them. Haru’s coffee had seemed to intrigue him, though whether it was in a good way or not, he did not seem to let on.

“My apologies for bothering you at such a busy time,” Haru said, as she began to get to the heart of the matter at hand. She had sat herself on the couch next to Makoto, hands neatly folded in her lap as she began to explain from the beginning.

It wasn’t long before she noticed that Haru’s hand had crept down to her own, and her voice had become quiet and shaky. Makoto took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, a simple “I’m here for you”, and she hoped in doing so that she wasn’t blushing too hard in front of the company president. After a deep breath, and squeezing Makoto’s hand in return, Haru launched into her speech about her passion.

“Takakura-san, what do you think of that coffee?”

* * *

Haru was smiling ear to ear as the two of them sat on the couch together, sipping on more of Haru’s homemade coffee.

“Today was a huge success,” Haru beamed, “I was able to tell Takakura-san how I feel, and he actually understood. And not only about the company, but about Sugimura-san as well.”

Not to mention, the president had been all but inspired by Haru’s passion, not only for the coffee itself, but how much she clearly cared about making others happy.

And, not only that, but they had found out that the rumours that he had been pleased by Okumura-san’s passing had been fabricated, as had the ridiculous marriage contract that Haru’s supposed fiance had signed! In fact, the president had agreed to personally ensure that Sugimura’s influence was removed from the company entirely.

To say it had been a success barely covered it. And Haru’s giddiness said it all.

Haru took another sip of her coffee before continuing. “I was so afraid…but now that it’s over, I think it was honestly pretty simple,” she admitted.

“You think?”

Haru nodded, catching Makoto’s gaze. “I only made it to this point because you were with me though. So…thank you, Makoto.”

“You’re very welcome,” Makoto answered, trying desperately to keep her composure. “You honestly did amazing…”

Haru’s smile was hidden behind her coffee cup, but Makoto still heard her giggling. The two stared at each other in comfortable silence for a moment before Haru looked away, acting embarrassed.

“A-Anyway,” she continued, setting her coffee down on it’s saucer, “I only started trusting people again because you were by my side helping me. So I want to return the favor,” she said, bowing slightly. “Please confide in me if you ever need help. I’ll be there for you.”

It was all Makoto could do to not cover her face, even though she was certain she was beet red.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Haru said, sitting up abruptly. “Takakura-san said something…a little strange, didn’t he…?” she trailed off, wringing her hands in her lap.

It had been nothing more than an innocent remark. The president admitted that he had only pushed for Haru’s marriage to her then-fiance because he had thought she could use the support:

“But it appears as though this young woman next to you is all the support you need,” he had said.

Makoto had blushed deep crimson, and had been so concerned with hiding that that she hadn’t gotten the chance to gauge Haru’s reaction at the time. But now that she had brought it up…

…well, if there was ever a time for a love confession, it was right now.

“Why do you think—”

“Haru, I like you…a lot,” she blurted out. “I mean, of course I _like _you, but, what I mean is…well…you know…_like that?_”

Real smooth, Niijima…

Haru blinked. “Huh!?” she stammered, “Uh, I, um…!”

Yep, swing and a miss…

…or, wait, was Haru blushing too?

“Do you…really mean that…?” Haru finally asked, looking shyly over at her.

Makoto’s heart was racing. At least, moreso than it usually did when she was with Haru. “I…yeah,” she admitted. “You’re just…well, you act really cute when you put your mind to something…and being around you makes me kind of jittery—but, like, in a good way, like drinking coffee!” she added hurriedly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Haru held her cup of coffee in front of her face, though Makoto could still clearly see her cheeks going bright pink. “I-I see. So…it wasn’t just me then…” she said.

…wasn’t just her?…

Did this mean…?

“You know…” Haru began, talking very softly, “at first, I was just glad to have someone who saw me as someone other than an Okumura, even if it was as a Phantom Thief instead. But, well…” She took a deep breath. “It wasn’t until I started spending time with you that I began to realize there were things that _I_ wanted…not as Haru Okumura, the heiress to Okumura Foods, and not as Noire, Phantom Thief and Heroine of Justice…but just me, Haru.”

Haru had set down her coffee by now and was scooting closer, only to stop when she was leaning against Makoto’s shoulder again. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Makoto as she snuggled into the crook of her neck. “Is this alright?” she whispered.

Makoto just nodded, as she could swear her heartbeat was echoing in the high walls of the living room where they sat.

She honestly wasn’t sure she could speak right now if she tried.

Haru simply hummed in acknowledgment. “I realized how nice it was to just feel like a normal person,” she continued, “and also that I really enjoy spending time with you. You make me feel safe…and you’re so comforting, and strong, and noble, and you’re so good at bringing out the best in others…”

Makoto let out an undignified squeak at the barrage of compliments that had been directed at her. Haru just giggled in return before lifting her head and looking over at Makoto. Those beautiful eyes of hers were shimmering with what could only be pure delight.

“I guess I’m already getting better at saying what I think…” she said with a shy smile. “And right now, what I’m thinking is that…just looking at you right now is giving me butterflies.”

It was such an innocent compliment. Had anyone else told her, she likely would have scoffed.

But with Haru looking at her like that, her face mere centimetres away, with such sheepish, but genuine adoration on her face, well…

Could anyone really blame her for what she did next?

“…may I?” she whispered, leaning in and praying to the gods above that she was reading the clues properly.

Haru nodded, and closed her eyes.

It was a chaste kiss, quick and light, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings. And yet, the gentle tingle that sat against her lips after she pulled away, combined with how soft Haru’s own lips had been…

…let’s just say she had had far worse first kisses.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Haru looking down in her lap, the deep edges of a giddy grin curling up into bright pink cheeks.

“Was that…okay?”

Haru’s face went redder, and a nervous giggle escaped her lips. “W-Well…” she began, “I’m not sure how it’s supposed to go really…but,” she paused, placing two fingers against her lips where Makoto’s had just sat moments before, “…I liked it.”

Makoto let out a nervous breath and smiled. “I did too…”

“Do you think, perhaps…we could do it again?”

As soon as she said it, Haru’s eyes widened and she turned to the side, blushing fiercely. “O-Oh, but…” she started, averting her gaze yet smiling nonetheless, “…maybe we should go somewhere a little more…private, first? Some of the maids are still here…”

This wasn’t a dream, was it?

Haru’s face reddened even further. “A-Ah, but, um, definitely not my room!” she stammered, shaking her head and sending fluffy curls bouncing every which way. “I mean, I know we’re both girls, so…who knows if they’d even say anything about it…but still—”

Makoto reached out and squeezed her hand. When Haru didn’t look up at her, she planted a soft kiss amongst her curls, and sighed contentedly when she lay back against her shoulder again.


	12. From This Day Forward...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since joining the Phantom Thieves, Haru's life has been turned around more times than she can count. And yet, it's thanks to a certain special Queen in her life that she's been able to keep going through it all.

**2016 December 16 (Fri)**

“Well…here we are…”

Makoto let Haru by the hand through the doorway, and sat herself down on her bed. Haru, meanwhile, took the time to take in Makoto’s room. It was a bit messier than she figured most people would imagine the student council president’s room to be, but there was so much about it that was so clearly ‘Makoto’ which made it feel quaint and inviting all the same…

…or maybe she was just giddy to be in Makoto’s room alone with her.

The two girls had decided that the Niijima residence would be a much less risky place to spend time together, what with Makoto’s sister at work until late, and a distinct lack of maids perusing the house.

“Um…wh-what do you think?” Makoto stammered, pulling Haru’s attention away from the walls and to her girlfriend sitting on the bed, her ears flushed red.

“I think it’s quite lovely,” Haru replied, sitting down next to Makoto. “But then again, you make just about everything lovely,” she added, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Wha—!” Makoto’s eyes went wide, then she looked away as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Jeez…how can you just…just, say things like that…?”

Haru just giggled. Makoto just make things too easy for her…

* * *

“So I was finally able to convey my feelings during the company meeting,” Haru spoke up, her head resting in Makoto’s lap as Makoto ran her fingers through her curls absentmindedly. “Not just about the new chain, but about the future of the company, and even about Father…”

Makoto nodded along.

“I think my presence angered some people at first,” she continued, “but in the end they all listened to my thoughts.

“That’s good to hear!” Makoto replied, smiling down at her.

Haru nodded excitedly. “I was quite nervous,” she admitted. “I’ve had diplomatic meetings with VIPs before, but I’ve never once spoken my true feelings to them…” She let her voice trail into her own thoughts, even though Makoto couldn’t hear her. Nonetheless, Makoto continued running her fingers through Haru’s hair, waiting for her to speak up again.

She was so considerate and kind, Mako-chan was.

“That aside,” Haru began again, “after talking with management, I’ve decided to let them handle Okumura Foods. It’s simply not something I would have been able to supervise on my own. And after their sincere acceptance of the public’s criticism, I felt it was OK to trust them.”

Makoto nodded. “I think you made the right decision. But what’s important is that you made it,” she added.

Haru nodded in agreement. “As for my future goals…” she began, smiling as she spoke, “I’m interested in opening a small private cafe. Everything will be home-grown, from the coffee to the salad. I want to set my own standards. It’ll be a shop that people love, like Grandfather’s…and like Leblanc as well.” She looked up at Makoto’s dark red eyes gazing down on her and smiled even wider. “What do you think?”

Makoto leaned down and kissed Haru on the forehead, leaving the spot tingly as she sat up again. “It sounds lovely. And I’m sure, with your mind set to it, that you’ll succeed.”

Gods, she was so sweet and kind. And beautiful.

“It’s a pretty boring dream, huh?” Haru began, chuckling softly. “But, you know, when you say that…I feel like it will actually happen.” She took hold of Makoto’s hand and planted a kiss against her knuckles before she continued.

“Truth be told, I don’t plan on opening the shop immediately after we graduate. I’ll need to study and improve my knowledge beforehand. After all—right now it’s only a hobby, of course…” She pondered for a moment, until an idea popped into her head: “Perhaps I could try apprenticing at Leblanc in the meantime?”

Makoto laughed. “You’d be filling Ren’s shoes there, which I’m sure would be hard work.”

Haru giggled with her. “You’re probably right. Either way, I think this dream of mine will be no easy feat…” She paused to sit up on her elbows. “But I managed to tackle my childhood dream of becoming a heroine of justice—if I act with resolve, and believe in my actions, I know I’ll be able to achieve anything!”

Makoto nodded in agreement. That smile of hers was honestly so pretty. And those deep red eyes…

Haru looked away as she felt her cheeks flush pink. “Honestly…” she began, her voice squeaky, “…just thinking about my life without you; it sends chills down my spine. I would have been married to a man I don’t respect…and lived a horrible life.”

She took a deep breath, and turned to look Makoto in the eye. “I’m glad I can be here with you instead…” she said.

Makoto’s face felt warm, but she didn’t look away, and the sparkling of her eyes in the artificial light of her bedroom lamp made Haru’s voice catch in her throat.

“I-I’m sorry…” she finally admitted, looking away, “I didn’t mean it in that way…it’s just, that…” she blushed. “I’m…um…glad to be your teammate…”

She held her breath, waiting for Makoto’s response. When the silence lingered longer than she expected, she turned to come face to face with her girlfriend, who’s lips were curled in a slight smirk.

“…just my teammate?” Makoto asked. Her whispered, sultry tone sent Haru into mouth-gaping distress, which only ended when Makoto giggled, blushing madly herself, and coaxed Haru closer for a proper kiss. Wrapping her arms around Makoto’s neck for support, she felt Makoto’s own arms cradle her in her grasp. She was so strong, but so tender, and Haru found herself melting against Makoto’s lips all over again, as if it were happening for the first time.

Had it only been two days ago that they had awkwardly shared their first kiss on Haru’s couch? It felt like so long ago…then again, safely in Makoto’s arms, Haru would’ve sworn that she had known her all her life…

Makoto finally pulled her lips away first, laying Haru’s head back in her lap, and planting another kiss against her forehead. Haru wrapped her arms around her waist and curled closer. “As long as you’re by my side,” she said, her voice muffled somewhat against Makoto’s shirt, “it feels like everything’s going to be OK…”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Makoto whispered, continuing to run her fingers through Haru’s curls.

Haru nodded, and looked up. “And if you’re ever in trouble—both in that world or in this one—I promise to be there for you. After all, you were there for me when I needed it…”

Makoto nodded, letting a comfortable silence settle over the two of them. There was nothing more that really needed to be said—she and Makoto could just _be_ together. And she could do it as just Haru, Makoto’s girlfriend.

Haru giggled to herself. It still felt strange to say it, even if it wasn’t out loud. Makoto probably felt the same, and it wasn’t as if it was something the two of them were prepared to announce to the world…Boy, wouldn’t the rest of the school be jealous if they ever found out, though?

Either way, this moment, now, just the two of them; it was nice to just enjoy it…

“Hey, um…” Haru began, catching Makoto’s eye again.

“Yes?”

Haru blushed. The butterflies were back, but they wouldn’t get in her way this time either: “T-today…I’d, um…I’d like to be with you a little longer…if that’s alright?”

Makoto smiled, blushing herself. “Of course, Haru…

…you can stay as long as you’d like.”


	13. A Christmas to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saving humanity from absolute annihilation was one thing, but her first Christmas date with Haru? Now *that* was something she would never forget...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy a bonus Christmas-date chapter for these two, and look out for a possible Valentine's Day chapter in the future as well!

**2016 December 24 (Sat)**

The two shuffled into the entryway of Haru’s mansion, hand-in-hand, rosy-cheeked, and lightly-dusted with fresh snowflakes.

“Wasn’t the city amazing?” Haru asked, smiling widely.

“Hm? Oh, yes, of course…” Makoto paused, halfway through shedding her winter coat. “Everywhere’s just so crowded during the Christmas season…”

“Isn’t that part of the enjoyment, though? Seeing everyone brought together by such a beautiful spectacle?” Her eyes were sparkling like the Christmas lights against the freshly fallen snow.

Makoto couldn’t help but smile and nod in agreement. “Plus, all the couples looked so happy together…”

Haru’s grin grew mischievous, and she clung to Makoto’s arm and placed a warm kiss on her cheek. “We can’t lose to them, then!”

Oh, jeez…what a cheesy, adorable thing to say…

Nonetheless, she took the collar of Haru’s coat in her hands and pulled her in for a proper kiss. Their lips were still cold, and slightly chapped from being outside, but nothing could have ruined the joy of Haru’s faint giggling against her lips, or their cold noses pressing together.

The fact that they were still alive, still together, after what they had been through earlier that afternoon, would make this a Christmas to remember forever…

“Merry Christmas, Haru.”

She beamed. “Yes! Merry Christmas, Mako-chan!”

* * *

Makoto couldn’t count the number of cups of coffee she had drank since starting high school, let alone in her life. And while there was nothing special about the cheap, instant coffee Sae bought to begin with, there was something so incredibly tantalizing about Haru’s coffee by comparison. Each cup she made was somehow the best cup of coffee Makoto had ever tasted, and she found herself noticing flavours she didn’t even know coffee could have, like citrus, or blackberry, or even ground chili.

Perhaps that was what everyone meant when they talked about making coffee “with love”…

Regardless, there was nothing she could possibly love more than right now, as she snuggled closer to Haru and held tightly to her steaming mug of coffee, inhaling the strong aroma which this time featured notes of chocolate and toffee.

“You know,” Haru begin, interrupting her train of thought, “all of my Christmases before this one were either spent alone, because Father was so busy, or else accompanying him to one of his boring work parties…”

Makoto leaned up and planted a kiss on Haru’s cheek. “Well, then I promise—you won’t be alone on Christmas any more.”

Where she got the confidence to pull off that suave move, she would never figure out…

Haru smiled in return, and wrapped her arms around Makoto, who snuggled even closer. “It makes me so happy to hear you say that…”

“Say,” she continued, “maybe next year, I’ll grow a fir tree to celebrate the occasion.”

“Can you even grow a tree that quickly?”

“I don’t know!” she giggled, “but it can’t hurt to try?”

“I’ll bet even just a little tree would look cute in the corner.”

“Ooh, and we could make cute little ornaments to decorate it with!”

Makoto had to admit, that would be pretty damn cute…

“O-Oh, yes, speaking of trees…” Haru continued, reaching behind her and revealing a small, elegantly decorated box. “This is for you…for everything you’ve done for me.”

“Oh, right…” Makoto smiled, and took her gift, producing a plainly-wrapped box of her very own in turn. “And here—a present for you too.”

She let Haru open her gift first; a set of matching coffee mugs, each with their own cute little message painted on them.

“They’re wonderful!” Haru exclaimed, looking over and reading each one in turn.

“I thought they would be cute in your boutique cafe one day,” Makoto admitted, “so make sure to handle them with care.”

Haru nodded. “Now, go on,” she encouraged, pointing to Makoto’s gift.

She gasped when she opened her present, an adorable knit cap with a pattern of a hedgehog on the front. She tried it on, and it fit snugly around her ears; the material was heavenly soft, and was certainly as warm as being in Haru’s arms…

“Thank you, Haru. I’ll treasure it always…” she said.

“Oh, I’m so glad you like it,” Haru beamed.

“Did you make this yourself?”

“Just for you, my love!” she answered, grinning ear-to-ear.

Makoto pulled the hat down over her eyes, certain her cheeks were starkly crimson. She heard Haru giggle, and soon felt her arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her close, an act which Makoto didn’t protest.

She had been right—the hat was absolutely as warm as being in Haru’s arms.

“Anyway,” she finally sighed, after regaining her composure again, “…what should we do now?”

“Hm,” Haru thought a moment. “Did you have anything in mind?”

Makoto’s face began to burn again. “I-I mean…we _are_ finally alone together…” she began, stammering. “Uhm, not that that’s anything special…I guess this’s really no different than usual…”

“Aw, but Mako-chan—you make every moment special!”

How could she even say that with such a straight face!?

“But, if you wanted to do something…_extra _special tonight…” she continued, tugging Makoto’s hat off and tossing it aside “…I wouldn’t mind.”

The sounds of Haru’s sultry whisper, combined with that half-lidded, sensual stare she now wore, sent her whole being into a tizzy.

This would _definitely_ be a Christmas to remember…


End file.
